Amaro Lucano Affogato

I have had the opportunity to travel to Italy on quite a few occasions, some for work, some for school, and others for pleasure.  After every trip I have felt a part of myself shift - and with each shift I would make a promise to myself to keep a part of the Italian life in my day to day life.  Some trips it was Spritz culture, some a dedication to Italian gardens and lengthy summertime lunches, and others it was the architecture of Italy's legendary cities.  

This summer I have been reminiscing about those trips to Italy, and enjoying Amaro Affogatos drizzled in Amaro Lucano, the quintessential Italian Amaro.  It's truly amazing how one bite can instantly transport me back to Italy, the feeling of being young and excitable, and the latent promise of Italian summers.  

Drizzle Amaro Lucano and a shot of espresso over a few scoops of vanilla bean gelato (the best one I can find in the market), and serve with a slice of fresh orange, a waffle cookie, and a generous pinch of macadamia nut toffee.  Serve alongside a glass of Amaro Lucano, which dates from 1894 and the recipe for which is still a closely guarded family secret.  It is pure heaven.  

Enjoy!

Amaro Lucano Affogato

1-1/2 oz Amaro Lucano

1 oz Espresso

2 Scoops Vanilla Bean Gelato

2 Tbs Macadamia Nut Toffee

Orange Slice to Garnish

Waffle Cookie to Garnish

Add gelato to a glass, and drizzle with amaro and espresso.  Crumble the macadamia nut toffee on top, and garnish with an orange slice, and half a waffle cookie.

Macadamia Nut Toffee

1/4 Cup Chopped Macadamia Nuts

1/4 Cup White Sugar

Add the sugar and nuts to a nonstick pan on low heat.  Let heat slowly as to not let the nuts burn, stirring occasionally.  After about five minutes the sugar crystals will begin to liquify, stir carefully to coat the macadamia nuts evenly.  When the sugar is completely melted, transfer the toffee to a sheet of tinfoil and let cool for about 10 minutes.  Crumble before serving.  

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Amaro Lucano. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Unexpected Uses for Cocktail Cherries

Any cocktail enthusiast will tell you that a better cherry will seriously up your cocktail game, but how about your food game??  The answer is yes, and I'm here to prove it to you.


I'm a firm believer that Luxardo makes the best cocktail cherry on the surface of the earth, and so naturally, these cherries have been creeping into all sorts of other recipes.  Breakfast?  Yes please.  Ice cream?  Hell yes.  Cheese Platters?  Bring. It. On.

Today I will be showing you 3 unexpected ways to use cocktail cherries, and therein, change your life.

First up: The Cherry Ice Cream Float

Ice cream floats are insanely delicious to begin with - but when you add a heavy drizzle of Luxardo syrup, they become nothing less than pure bliss.  I love this recipe because it replaces any artificial sweeteners or flavorings, and it is incredibly simple to make.  I also appreciate that it uses the leftover syrup of the cocktail cherries themselves, which is a shame to waste.

Cherry Ice Cream Float
Created by Gastronomista

1 oz Luxardo Cherry Syrup (From the Jar of Cherries)
1 Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
Soda Water
Luxardo Cherries to Garnish

Build syrup and ice cream in a low ball cocktail glass, and top with soda water.  Serve with a metal straw, a spoon, and garnish with a Luxardo maraschino cherry or two.

Another favorite place to use cocktail cherries?  Breakfast. 

Luxardo Cherries are fabulous on a bowl of Greek Yogurt, especially when loaded up with granola, fresh fruit, toasted coconut flakes, and spiced chickpeas.  Add a drizzle of the cherry syrup for more sweetness, and enjoy!

Sweet and Savory Yogurt Bowl

Greek Yogurt
5-6 Luxardo Cherries (whole or diced)
1 T Toasted Coconut Flakes
1 T Spiced Chickpeas
1 T Granola
2 T Fresh Fruit
1/2 oz Luxardo Cherry Sryrup

Scoop fruit into a bowl and top with fruit, granola, coconut, chickpeas, and cherries.  Drizzle with cherry syrup and enjoy!

Last, but certainly not least, I want to share another entertaining tip and an unexpected use for cocktail cherries: Paired with Cheese!  I sneak Luxardo cherries into my cheese boards and pair with elegant white creamy cheeses like white gouda, ripened goats milk cheese, and even a creamy blue cheese.

Creamy cheeses pair really well with the sweetness of the cherries, and it can replace any other sweetener you would typically serve on a cheese plate (honey, jam, quince...).  Just remember, presentation is everything: build a decadent cheese platter with loads of crackers, fresh fruit, meats, nuts, and a selection of a few different cheeses.

Here are a few cheeses I recommend that pair beautifully with the cocktail cherries:

Jasper Hill Harbison – A soft-ripened cheese with a rustic bloomy ring

Cypress Grove Midnight Moon – Goat’s Milk from Northern California

Cypress Grove Bermuda Triangle – Goat’s Milk Soft Ripened Cheese with an Ash Rub

Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue Cheese – Cow’s Milk Blue Cheese aged in Roquefort Modeled Caves

Président Triple Cream Brie - Creamy Brie that is easily found in any grocery store

Luxardo Sources
Cherries 400g Jar - $23
Cherries 6 lb Tin - $77

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Luxardo. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Boozy Boston Cooler

 
A few months back I saw a story on Saveur.com about the Midwestern ice cream classic - the Boston Cooler.  It is an incredibly simple recipe: a few scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with ginger ale, and voilà, you have a gingery ice cream float. This float is just as sweet and creamy as you remember from your childhood, but with the spicy ginger-ale that cuts right through all that sweetness.

Make this classic float a boozy float for your next ice cream social by using an alcoholic ginger beer such as Crabbie's, a trick that will make this sweet treat more spicy and higher octane.  For this recipe I used vanilla ice cream with Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, but you could easily play with different combinations of flavors such as vanilla ice cream with Crabbie's Scottish Raspberry, lemon sorbet with the Original, or chocolate ice cream with Crabbie's Spiced Orange.   

The possibilities are endless...

Boozy Boston Cooler

3 Scoops Ice Cream
1 Bottle Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Scoop Ice Cream into a glass, top with ginger beer and enjoy!

 
Styling Notes
Glasses - Vintage
Straws - W&P
Brass & Wood Spoons - Collyer's Mansion
Triangle Towels - Shapes and Colors

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.